Neonode's name isn't plastered on your spate of gizmos, but if you've purchased a touchscreen-based device in the past year or so, there's a better-than-average chance that it's technology is tucked within. In the run-up to CES, the outfit is introducing the world's first ultra-low power single-chip optical touch controller, NN1001. This guy was developed in cooperation with Texas Instruments, specifically designed to shave costs and increase performance / functionality for smartphones, tablets, e-readers and automotive applications. The device has a scanning speed of 1,000 Hz (latency down to one millisecond) and consumes less than 1mW at 100Hz; better still, it'll track any high-speed multi-touch gesture with any object (including a finger, gloved finger and passive pens). We're told that it'll work in single or multiple configurations to support screen sizes up to 20 inches, but there's no clear view as to what products are lined up to receive it. That said, we're promised an early look of an automotive application at CES, where it'll head into the public world in the latter half of 2012.

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Neonode® Announces the World's First Single Chip Optical Touch Controller

"TI's collaboration with customers like Neonode will enable end equipment manufacturers to bring touch solutions and experiences to new applications."

NN1001 has been developed in close cooperation between Neonode and Texas Instruments (TI). NN1001 is specifically designed to reduce the bill of materials (BOM) cost, increase performance and add functionality for optical touch controller customers in a variety of end markets including smartphones, tablets, e-books and automotive. TI's high-performance, efficient analog signal chain and power management technologies and integration capabilities enable the ultra-low power and low noise in an integrated single-chip solution.

The NN1001 controller has a high scanning speed of 1000 Hz (latency down to 1 ms) and consumes less than 1mW at 100Hz, which has the potential to outperform most touch solutions on the current market. With high accuracy, NN1001 tracks any high-speed multi-touch gesture with any object (finger, gloved finger and passive pens). NN1001 connects to any microcontroller or application processor with a high-speed SPI interface. The controller works in single or multiple configurations to support screen sizes up to 20 inches.

NN1001 supports advanced power management functions for low-power mobile devices and implements Neonode's AlwaysONTM technology where the touch can be active to detect gestures and touches even when the device application processor is in sleep or off mode.

"It is with great pleasure that we now announce the NN1001, a result of successful cooperation between TI and Neonode. NN1001 combines the best from resistive (low cost, good pen writing) and capacitive solutions (multi touch, gestures tracking). In addition NN1001 adds new features like no overlay, low latency pen tracking, proximity sensing and touch object size measurement. The result – the highest level of user experience for consumers", said Thomas Eriksson, CEO of Neonode.

"The new NN1001 integrated optical touch controller delivers high performance, low-power operation, and integration to reduce system cost," said Hans Rosberg, Consumer Analog Solutions product line manager at TI. "TI's collaboration with customers like Neonode will enable end equipment manufacturers to bring touch solutions and experiences to new applications."

NN1001 will be presented to selected customers during the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) in Las Vegas in January 2012 and the chip is currently sampling to customers for evaluation and is expected to be in mass production by Q2 2012. Neonode will also give selected customers an early view of an automotive version of the device, scheduled for introduction in the second half of 2012.